Ronan Kelly
Retired 2020
Week 4, 24-30 January 2016
http://ecdc.europa.eu/en/publicatio...icable-disease-threats-report-30-jan-2016.pdf
Influenza - Multistate (Europe) - Monitoring 2015-2016 season
Opening date: 2 October 2015 Latest update: 22 January 2016
?Update of the week
During week 3 in 2016, 29 of the 45 countries and territories that reported indicated increasing rates of ILI and ARI while
thirty-two countries reported influenza virus detections in specimens from influenza-like illness (ILI) and acute respiratory
infection (ARI) surveillance this week, indicating increased influenza activity in the WHO European Region. The overall
influenza-positivity rate in week 03/2016 was 40%. Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 continued to be the predominant virus detected
since the start of the season. For week 03/2016, seven of 11 countries reporting data on severe acute respiratory infection
(SARI) indicated increasing numbers of cases. The percentages of influenza-positive SARI specimens were greater than 50% in
Armenia, Georgia and the Republic of Moldova. The predominance of A(H1N1)pdm09 correlates with an increase in cases of
severe disease, predominantly in people aged 15?64.
...
Influenza - Multistate (Europe) - Monitoring 2015-2016 season
Opening date: 2 October 2015 Latest update: 22 January 2016
Epidemiological summary
So far, the 2015?2016 influenza season has been characterised by a predominance of the influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus, which is
known to cause more severe disease and death in younger adults compared with influenza A(H3N2).
Three quarters (78%) of the detected viruses were type A, and 22% were type B. The vast majorities of subtyped A viruses were
A(H1N1)pdm09, and B viruses when ascribed to a lineage were B/Victoria. Most of the viruses characterised so far are genetically
similar to the strains recommended for inclusion in this winter?s trivalent or quadrivalent vaccines for the northern hemisphere.
Since week 52/2015, several European countries have reported increasing numbers of SARI cases of associated with A(H1N1)
pdm09 in sentinel systems. Similarly, countries reporting laboratory-confirmed influenza in hospitals and intensive care units
(ICUs), have detected influenza A in 426 of 452 ICU cases since the start of the season with A(H1N1)pdm09 being the dominant
subtype (92%). In all other wards, 32% of the detected viruses were influenza type B, and 68% were influenza type A with A
(H1N1)pdm09 representing 97% of those subtyped.
ECDC assessment
The majority of the viruses characterised so far are genetically similar to the strains recommended for inclusion in this winter?s
trivalent or quadrivalent vaccines for the northern hemisphere. However, a small number of A(H3N2) viruses showed
dissimilarities to the vaccine strain. Furthermore, the most prevalent B virus lineage (Victoria) is not included in the trivalent
vaccine, which is the more widely used in Europe.
Actions
ECDC monitors influenza activity in Europe during the winter season and publishes its report weekly on the Flu News Europe
website.
http://ecdc.europa.eu/en/publicatio...icable-disease-threats-report-30-jan-2016.pdf
Influenza - Multistate (Europe) - Monitoring 2015-2016 season
Opening date: 2 October 2015 Latest update: 22 January 2016
?Update of the week
During week 3 in 2016, 29 of the 45 countries and territories that reported indicated increasing rates of ILI and ARI while
thirty-two countries reported influenza virus detections in specimens from influenza-like illness (ILI) and acute respiratory
infection (ARI) surveillance this week, indicating increased influenza activity in the WHO European Region. The overall
influenza-positivity rate in week 03/2016 was 40%. Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 continued to be the predominant virus detected
since the start of the season. For week 03/2016, seven of 11 countries reporting data on severe acute respiratory infection
(SARI) indicated increasing numbers of cases. The percentages of influenza-positive SARI specimens were greater than 50% in
Armenia, Georgia and the Republic of Moldova. The predominance of A(H1N1)pdm09 correlates with an increase in cases of
severe disease, predominantly in people aged 15?64.
...
Influenza - Multistate (Europe) - Monitoring 2015-2016 season
Opening date: 2 October 2015 Latest update: 22 January 2016
Epidemiological summary
So far, the 2015?2016 influenza season has been characterised by a predominance of the influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus, which is
known to cause more severe disease and death in younger adults compared with influenza A(H3N2).
Three quarters (78%) of the detected viruses were type A, and 22% were type B. The vast majorities of subtyped A viruses were
A(H1N1)pdm09, and B viruses when ascribed to a lineage were B/Victoria. Most of the viruses characterised so far are genetically
similar to the strains recommended for inclusion in this winter?s trivalent or quadrivalent vaccines for the northern hemisphere.
Since week 52/2015, several European countries have reported increasing numbers of SARI cases of associated with A(H1N1)
pdm09 in sentinel systems. Similarly, countries reporting laboratory-confirmed influenza in hospitals and intensive care units
(ICUs), have detected influenza A in 426 of 452 ICU cases since the start of the season with A(H1N1)pdm09 being the dominant
subtype (92%). In all other wards, 32% of the detected viruses were influenza type B, and 68% were influenza type A with A
(H1N1)pdm09 representing 97% of those subtyped.
ECDC assessment
The majority of the viruses characterised so far are genetically similar to the strains recommended for inclusion in this winter?s
trivalent or quadrivalent vaccines for the northern hemisphere. However, a small number of A(H3N2) viruses showed
dissimilarities to the vaccine strain. Furthermore, the most prevalent B virus lineage (Victoria) is not included in the trivalent
vaccine, which is the more widely used in Europe.
Actions
ECDC monitors influenza activity in Europe during the winter season and publishes its report weekly on the Flu News Europe
website.